In July I made my first ever trip to New York, at the top of my list of things to do was to see the September 11 Memorial and One World Trade Center.

As I walked the streets of NYC from SoHo towards Lower Manhattan, I began to see in my mind the horrific events that unfolded that unforgettable day.

As I got closer to where the tower stands now, I got an eerie feeling that I was standing where some of the people had to be standing or running away from the area when the towers came down. I could see the billowing clouds of debris coming down the streets like I had seen over and over in the videos that were captured that morning.

I cannot fathom how horrific it must have been to be there and to be running for your life and wondering the fate of co-workers and loved ones.

This was my actual first sight of the Freedom Tower that day as it stands 16 years later.

I am so glad that I was able to see the memorial for myself, I had no idea there were two actual memorials, one where each of the towers stood in the respective buildings footprints.

They were very beautiful and very emotional to see. Each one of the names lost that fateful day inscribed into the marble ledge surrounding the 30 foot waterfalls.

To commemorate the birthdays of the fallen, they place a red carnation in their inscribed names.

The museum was very somber and emotional as well. I had been to the George W. Bush Library in Dallas earlier this year and had been very moved by the Tribute to 9/11. But to actually stand on the grounds in New York brought a whole new set of emotions.

These are some of the photographs I took while there.

These are some of the stairs that took so many to safety.

The beams that took some of the impact of the plane.

The pictures of all the fallen.

The flag with the pictures of the people who lost their lives in the towers in red and the fallen emergency workers in blue.

President Bush’s speech inscribed and all the names of the victims.

Ladder 3

The last column removed with all the emergency workers names or departments inscribed.